RCC Secretary General takes part at the Parliamentary Conference on the role of parliaments in the Berlin Process

Tirana - "The ultimate legal responsibility in the ratification process of most of regional agreements and commitments lies with the parliaments. This once again makes evident the need for stronger engagement of Parliaments in this process, not only to formally add to its democratic legitimacy but to transform the pledges in reality through the ratification process of regional agreements and pushing forward their implementation. Since the very start I have been of the idea that a parliamentary dimension of the Berlin Process is a requisite to ensure intensification of the EU membership reforms internally but also a strengthened regional cooperation. I am proud that the first formal step toward this approach was taken during Tirana’s Chairmanship of COSAP in 2015. My initiative (at that time) as Chairwoman of the European Integration Committee was embraced in unanimity by the colleagues from the other parliaments of the region and we officially approached the chairmanship of the Berlin Process," said Secretary General of Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu, at the Parliamentary Conference on "The role of the Parliaments in the Berlin Process" organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of Albania with support of Berlin Process Parliament Dialogue initiative and RCC in Tirana today.

"While we assess the achievements made under the Berlin Process and define all actions needed to make the quantitative and qualitative leap with the new and more transformative CRM 2.0, this is also a crunch moment for the parliaments to boost mutual understanding and cooperation among them and with the respective governments to fully play their role in this upcoming rebooted framework of regional cooperation, which, in addition to the integration within the region, will aim at closer accession to the EU Single Market," concluded Bregu.

The meeting gathered members of parliaments from the Western Balkans and representatives of regional and international organisations and committees, and precedes the Berlin Process Summit on Monday, 16 October in Tirana where heads of states of the Western Balkans six are expected to sign the continuation of mobility agreements with the  Regional Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications for medical nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and veterinary surgeons.

More on mobility agreements signed last year in Berlin

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